


Rockstar

by Gilrael



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Awkward Flirting, I don't know how to tag this, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Tsukki is so done with Yamaguchi's pining, Yamaguchi is flustered, kind of at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-06-09 07:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6895099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilrael/pseuds/Gilrael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this prompt by an anon on tumblr: "Can I request Kuroyama at which Kuroo is a famous and Yamaguchi is their biggest fan?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still taking drabble requests on [tumblr](http://gilrael.tumblr.com) and this one got a little out of hand. This is not a drabble anymore, but a fullblown fic, so I decided against posting it as a part of the [drabble collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6552469/chapters/14990986).  
> EDIT: I'm not taking requests anymore.

As Tadashi idly scrolled through his Facebook feed, he got a new notification.

 

_**Nekoma (Band)** _ _ mentioned you in a post “Kenma tasked me with...” _

 

Curiously, he clicked on it. Why would his favourite band mention him in one of their posts?

 

_**Nekoma (Band)** _

_1 mins - public_

_Kenma tasked me with announcing the winners of our recent giveaway, so here we go:_

_ The t-shirts go to _ _**Yoshikawa Washi** _ _ , _ _**Hamamoto Takuya** _ _ and _ _**Fukui Ina** _ _. _

_**Takayama Anda** _ _ and _ _**Uchida Otojiro** _ _ will receive tickets to our show in Sendai! _

_And last but not least, the grand price..._

_*drum roll*_

_**Yamaguchi Tadashi** _ _ has the pleasure of getting a ticket and backstage pass for a little meet-and-greet after our concert!  _

_Please make sure to contact us with your address and if you won a t-shirt, tell us what size you want it to be!_

_We're all looking forward to our first show in Miyagi prefecture :-)_

_~Kuroo_

 

He didn't dare believe his eyes. It was too good to be true. He'd entered the giveaway of his favourite band on a whim, not expecting to actually win anything. And now he was going to meet them. He was going to see Lev, Yaku and Kuroo up close. He was not just going to be a nameless face amongst hundreds of other people in the crowd. He was actually going to be able to _ talk _ to Kuroo. _ The _ Kuroo Tetsur ō, his favourite singer of all time.

Tadashi had followed him on YouTube since the very beginning, before Kuroo even met Yaku and Lev to form the band Nekoma, back when it was just him and his guitar and a shitty webcam. Now and then Tadashi had even received replies to the comments he left on Kuroo's videos, but then his band got signed and both their YouTube and Facebook exploded with messages so that they barely ever managed to personally interact with their fans anymore.

Winning this giveaway was a dream come true.

 

***

 

Tetsurō loved his band, the music they made and how much they had grown in the last two years together. Yaku's base line was more than just solid now. He played with such virtuosity that it sometimes left Tetsurō breathless. Lev's drumming had gone from being erratic and imprecise to being steady and full of concentrated energy. Tetsurō could rely on them to give him a foundation for his lead guitar and vocals.

Tetsurō also loved their fan base and wished to be able to interact them more often like he used to back in the day. Since their sudden breakthrough a year ago he'd barely been able to read all the comments on their YouTube channel and Facebook fan page anymore. There was something nice about getting his ego stroked, but neither his band members nor Kenma, his oldest friend and manager, would ever praise him. Not that he actually needed the validation.

Nekoma always drew a huge number of screaming teenagers, both female and male, and their concert in Sendai wasn't any different. Hundreds of young men and women danced and sang along with them, cheering loudly whenever they were done with a song.

After they concluded the concert with their most popular song, they went outside to give some autographs. The crowd that gathered for these informal autograph sessions tended to be mostly made up of girls. Tetsurō liked chatting with them, liked how they blushed and stumbled over their words because of him. These interactions always left him with a floaty feeling in his stomach, but today he was in an ever better mood.

They'd never done a proper meet and greet before and he'd finally managed to talk Kenma into organising one. Tetsurō had seen the winner's profile picture on Facebook and damn that guy looked cute. Big eyes, a nice smile and freckles all over the place. The random number generator seemed to have worked in Tetsurō's favour.

“Sorry ladies, but they need to go back inside now!” Kai yelled over the excited chatter of the fans and they all groaned disappointedly.

“No worries, we'll be back in Sendai soon!” Tetsurō assured them with a smile.

 

***

 

The show was brilliant. It wasn't Tadashi's first concert, he'd seen Nekoma live in Tokyo once, but this time around he was overwhelmed with their presence on stage. They were good before, but now they acted like a well-oiled machine and the music they produced was lingering in Tadashi's mind as he approached the door to the backstage area. 

After Tadashi had sent a message with his address so they could send him his price, Kenma-san, the band's manager, answered him that he would meet him at the door and lead him to the band. There were barely any photos of the elusive manager online, but Tadashi still recognised him from the few photos that did exist. 

“You're Yamaguchi-san?” Kenma-san asked, pointing at the backstage pass that Tadashi was wearing around his neck.

“Y-yes! Thank you for this opportunity!” Tadashi bowed hastily. His palms were gripping the strap of his messenger bag too tightly and he was giddy with anticipation.

“Follow me,” the manager said and pushed open the door.

Backstage was nothing like Tadashi imagined. There was nothing glamorous about the white hallway that led towards the band's changing room. Kenma-san didn't bother knocking on the door and simply pushed it open, revealing three half-dressed musicians. 

Tadashi couldn't help himself – his eyes fixed themselves on Kuroo's abs and he had to consciously force himself to look at the floor in front of him instead. His face was probably as red as a tomato.

“Hey! You must be Yamaguchi-kun, right?” Kuroo asked excitedly.

“He-hello,” Tadashi choked out, bowing his head in respect and also so he wouldn't accidentally out himself as gay by staring at the band members who were now pulling on t-shirts. “I-it's an honour to m-meet you.”

“No need to be so formal,” Yaku said, smiling kindly.

“Yeah, it's not like Yaku-san and Kuroo-san deserve any respe– gah!” Lev was interrupted by Yaku who punched him in the arm.

“Shut up, Lev!” Yaku growled. Kuroo grinned at his friends before turning back around towards the door.

“Come on in! We don't bite,” he said. A devilishly handsome smile appeared on his face and it was aimed directly at Tadashi, making his heart skip a beat.

 

***

 

Yamaguchi-kun was even more handsome in real life. The constant blush on his face suited him well and Tetsurō was also very fond of his voice. When they all moved to sit down on the two faux-leather sofas, Tetsurō made sure to sit down as close to the pretty young man as possible without making things too uncomfortable.

Kenma looked at him with utter exasperation written all over his face. Tetsurō shrugged, not in the mood for hiding his intention. He was going to flirt with Yamaguchi-kun. The guy was good-looking and obviously had great taste in music if he participated in Nekoma's giveaway.

“So...” Tetsurō drew out the syllable a little, watching Yamaguchi-kun nervously stiffen next to him. “I hope you enjoyed the concert.”

“I-it was brilliant!” Yamaguchi-kun replied immediately. “I– I've been a fan for ages now and I think this was your best performance yet!”

“Thank you very much,” Yaku said, getting up to open the mini-fridge. “Anyone want a beer?”

“Yeah, I'll take one,” Tetsurō said.

“I'm underage, so I can't...” Yamaguchi-kun sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

“I'm not allowed to drink yet either,” Lev said.

“We also have iced tea if you want,” Yaku offered.

Yamaguchi nodded. “Thank you very much.”

Yaku handed them the cans and opened his own can of beer before sitting down between Kenma and Lev again.

“How old are you then?” Tetsurō asked curiously. He wasn't going to lay his hands on a minor, but maybe he wouldn't have to wait too long.

“I'm nineteen. I'll turn twenty in three months,” Yamaguchi-kun answered, opening the can with shaking fingers.

_ Perfect. I'll definitely ask him for his e-mail later. _ It wasn't every day that Tetsurō got to meet cute male fans that happened to be his type. 

 

***

 

Tadashi had no idea how to deal with Kuroo's proximity. His heart was beating a mile a minute and his hands were so sweaty that he'd almost dropped his can of tea three times already. He was sure that his nerves must be written all over his face, but none of the band members commented on it. They treated him very kindly, despite his awkwardness.

They appeared to be more down to earth than Tadashi had expected a bunch of rockstars to be. It was obvious that they were aware of their own abilities and success, but they had a sense of humour about it.

And yet Tadashi could not calm down. He was ninety percent sure that that was Kuroo's fault. Every time Tadashi turned his head towards him, he was met with an intense stare from almost cat-like eyes that had his spine tingling. Either he was imagining things or Kuroo was interested in him, which meant that he was probably imagining it. There was no way that Tadashi's favourite singer of all time would ever express interest in someone as plain as him. 

The conversation twisted and turned. For every question that Tadashi asked the band, he received one about himself. 

“How did you find out about us?” Kuroo asked, throwing his empty can in the bin next to the sofa.

“Oh, I've been following your YouTube channel for three years now, I think,” Tadashi replied, feeling a little self-conscious.

“Holy shit!” Yaku exclaimed, eyebrows raised in surprise. “That means you saw that really bad first video we made together!”

“I didn't think it was bad,” Tadashi mumbled. “It was... a little uncoordinated, but I liked it.”

“Uncoordinated is putting it very mildly,” Kenma-san said, not lifting his eyes from the hand-held console he'd turned on halfway through the conversation.

“So you're saying you were a fan of me even before Nekoma was founded?” Kuroo asked, a self-satisfied smirk making his eyes gleam.

“Kinda...” Tadashi's ears felt like they would burst into flames any second now. He needed to change the topic quickly... And then he remembered that he'd brought something with him.

 

***

 

“Oh, I just remembered something!” Yamaguchi-kun said, grabbing his messenger bag and ruffling through it frantically. Finally, he pulled a piece of paper out of a folder. “Uh, I made this for you all.” 

Tetsurō's eyes went wide when he took the paper out of Yamaguchi-kun's hand. It was a pencil drawing that was clearly inspired by their latest album cover, but Yamaguchi had replaced the three cats that sat on top of the brick wall with all of the band members. It wasn't a realistic drawing, but even in this cartoonish style, Tetsurō could recognise himself and his friends perfectly. 

Lev and Yaku had stood up and were now also crowded around the smaller sofa.

“This is amazing!” Lev yelled.

“Definitely,” Yaku agreed. “Thank you very much, Yamaguchi-kun!”

“Yeah, thanks,” Tetsurō said. On top of being pretty and perfectly nice, this guy was also talented. If Yamaguchi was also interested in guys, Tetsurō would declare this day the luckiest day of his life. 

 

***

 

An hour later, it was time for Tadashi to leave. The roadies were done with packing up and the band still had to get their belongings in order before they went back to Tokyo.

“It was nice getting to meet you all,” he said, bowing deeply.

“It was nice meeting _you_ ,” Kuroo replied, scribbling something on a piece of paper. He folded it neatly in half and slipped it into the pocket of Tadashi's jeans. “I'd definitely like to get to know you even better.”

“Kuroo, you are the most embarrassing human being ever,” Yaku groaned.

Tadashi did not comprehend what had just happened. He pulled the piece of paper back out of his pocket only to realise that he'd just received Kuroo Tetsurō's phone number and e-mail address.

_ Holy fuck _ . He looked up into Kuroo's face and was met with the same borderline seductive smirk he'd seen all evening. Quickly, he shoved the paper back into his pockets, bowed again and ran for it.

He had not expected this.

Nothing could have prepared him for this.

His heartbeat didn't slow down, even when he was already sitting on the train home.

 

***

 

Tetsurō had to admit that he was more than a little bummed out by Yamaguchi-kun's sudden departure.

“You're a freaking rockstar,” Yaku reminded him as they got out of the tour bus. “You'll find someone else.”

“But Yamaguchi-kun was cute,” Tetsurō complained, ignoring the buzzing in his pockets. “And that fanart he drew... I mean, holy shit!”

“He didn't seem interested, though, so just give up on him,” Kenma added, unapologetically direct as always. “Also you're phone has been buzzing like crazy. You should check it.”

Tetsurō sighed and removed the phone from his pocket.

 

From: Unknown

> I'm sorry for running away

> This is Yamaguchi btw

> I think I was in shock??

> You're the first guy that ever showed interest in me so I kinda freaked

> I'm really sorry

> I really admire you so that only made it worse I think

> But I kinda wouldn't mind chatting with you?

> Oh my god I'm sorry for spamming you >_<

> Holy shit this is awkward...

 

A warm, bubbly feeling spread through Tetsurō's entire body as he saved Yamaguchi-kun's e-mail address on his phone. 

“Wait, are these messages from Yamaguchi?” Lev asked, peering over Tetsurō's shoulder.

“Yes, they are,” Tetsurō replied smugly.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for midterms which means I need to treat myself to writing during study breaks or nothing gets done lol, so I decided to write a continuation for this AU. I've also got another chapter planned for this, but I have no idea when that will be finished.

Kei had never asked for any of this. All he ever wanted was peace and quiet and maybe sometimes someone who would listen to him bitch about his professors' unreasonable assignments, but instead, he had to listen to his best friend go on and on about some musician with a terrible hair cut. Kei had been fine with accompanying Yamaguchi to concerts or to the record store to buy Nekoma's latest album – they were friends after all and Nekoma wasn't a terrible band – but then Yamaguchi had to go and win that giveaway and actually meet Kuroo. Yamaguchi had come back from that meet-and-greet with Kuroo's phone number, blushing and giddy with excitement. That had been fine with Kei as well, he liked seeing his friend happy. No, the problem was that Yamaguchi just didn't _ get it _ .

“Oh my god,” Yamaguchi muttered, staring at his phone. “He... he wants to skype with me.”

Kei sighed. “Of course. He wants to get in your pants after all.”

He immediately ducked his head when Yamaguchi swatted at him with the magazine he'd been reading before the text message from Kuroo had interrupted him.

“As if! He's always this friendly with his fans,” Yamaguchi mumbled, his face glowing red.

Kei highly doubted that. There had been certain rumours about Kuroo Tetsurō ever since he'd helped out with a fundraiser for a shelter for homeless LGBT teenagers. Not that a straight person wouldn't care about LGBT issues, but some of the interviews Kuroo had given during that time had suggested that he might be bisexual just like Yamaguchi. There was nothing concrete, he'd never exactly come out but, combining those interviews with how Yamaguchi had described his behaviour at the meet-and-greet, Kei was ninety percent sure that Kuroo was attracted to men at least to some extent.

And yet Yamaguchi remained stubbornly convinced that Kuroo wasn't flirting with him.

 

***

 

Never before had Tadashi worried so much about his clothes, not even when he'd gone on dates with his first girlfriend back in high school. Admittedly, most of the time they'd gone on dates right after school so they'd both been in their uniforms, but still. His girlfriend hadn't been a famous musician who could afford to wear freaking designer clothes if she wanted to.

“Should I wear my Nekoma t-shirt?” he asked, holding it up in front of his torso. “Or is that too... you know...”

“I think he'd prefer it if you didn't wear anything at all,” Tsukki said flatly, making Tadashi groan with embarrassment. His best friend was utterly convinced that Kuroo had a thing for him, but Tadashi wasn't going to give in to wishful thinking like that. He'd had his heart broken by guys often enough not to expect anything.

“You're not helping me at all, Tsukki,” he whined, turning back to his closet and taking a closer look at a shirt with an abstract print on it.

Tsukki released a heavy sigh and got up from Tadashi's bed. “Wear that plaid shirt you bought last time we went shopping,” he suggested. “I need to get to class now. Good luck with your Skype date.”

“It's not a date!” Tadashi yelled, but there was no real conviction in his voice. Kuroo probably didn't think of their two-month-long conversation via text messages in a romantic way, but Yamaguchi did. It was stupid of him, really, but he couldn't help the way his heart would skip a beat whenever he saw Kuroo's name pop up on his phone's screen. He'd saved and backed up every single selfie Kuroo had sent him, and sometimes when he felt especially brave, he would send Kuroo progress photos of the oil painting he was working on for this semester's finals. It was encouraging to receive Kuroo's enthusiastic praise, but Tadashi tried hard not to let it get to his head.

And so he put on the shirt Tsukki had suggested and sat down at his desk to open his laptop.

 

***

 

Tetsurō was giddy with nerves. He'd spent an entire month working on this song and he wanted Yamaguchi to be the first one to hear it. He hadn't even played it in front of Yaku and Lev yet, wanting to wait for Yamaguchi's reaction before they recorded it for their new album. It was honestly ridiculous how much time he spent thinking about Yamaguchi. He'd only met him in person once, but what had started out as attraction at first sight had eventually turned into a full-blown crush that only got worse the more he learnt about Yamaguchi. He'd started compiling a mental list of things he liked about Yamaguchi – his freckles, his smile, how shy he could be, his work-ethic, his artistic talent... Yeah, Tetsurō was head over heals in love, and he really needed to see Yamaguchi again or he'd go insane.

When he saw the little dot next to Yamaguchi's name turn green, Tetsurō immediately started the Skype call.

“Hey, handsome,” he said, enjoying the deer-in-headlights look on Yamaguchi's face. Damn, this guy was cute.

“H-hi,” Yamaguchi replied, blushing all the way up to his ears. “You said you wanted to show me something?”

Tetsurō reached for the acoustic guitar that was leaning against the wall behind him. “Yeah, I've been writing a song and I want you to be the first one to hear it.”

“Really?!” Yamaguchi blurted out, slack-jawed.

“Yes, really,” Tetsurō replied, grinning. He checked whether his strings were all still in tune, fiddling around with the high E that always gave him trouble on this guitar. “I hope you actually like it. I've been working on this song for almost a month now.”

Yamaguchi swallowed hard and nodded. Tetsurō took a deep breath and pulled the sheet of paper with the basic chord structure and lyrics out from under his computer's keyboard. He hadn't been this nervous about playing in front of an audience since Nekoma had had their first live show.

 

***

 

Tadashi was breathless, letting the melody of this love song wash over him. It was beautiful, slightly melancholic but with a hopeful undertone that shone through in the chorus. It was a song about a pair of lovers that was divided by distance and how they longed to be able to see each other in person again, but at least they were connected through the screens of their phones.

When the last chord faded away, Kuroo looked back up right at where Tadashi's face must've been on his computer's screen.

“So, what do you think?”

“It's beautiful. Thanks for playing it for me,” Tadashi said quietly.

Kuroo heaved a sigh of relief. “I'm glad. I... I was really nervous about this song. Yaku is way better at this whole love song thing than me, you know...”

“What gave you the inspiration to write this song?” Tadashi asked curiously. For a second Kuroo looked slightly surprised at his question, but then a devilish grin appeared on his face.

“Well, there's a certain someone who's been texting me for the last two months and I'd really like to see him again one day,” he said.

_ Holy fucking shit what is this? _ Tadashi's chest felt like it was too small for his heart. So maybe Tsukki had been right.

“Erm.... A-are you talking about me?” Tadashi mumbled, having to force his tongue to cooperate properly.

“Who else could I be talking about?” Kuroo chuckled and then sighed. “You're cute. And you are a talented artist. I always look forward to your texts, you know?”

_ Oh my god, Tsukki _ is _ right. _ Tadashi had to talk a deep breath to steady himself. “This... this doesn't seem real. I... wow. Just wow.”

“Can I take that to mean that you are interested, too?” Kuroo asked.

“Erm, yeah. I'm... very interested.”

The smile that appeared on Kuroo's face made Tadashi want to melt into a puddle.

 

***

 

Coming home from his lectures, Kei found Yamaguchi sprawled out on the floor of their living room. He was listening to Nekoma and staring at the ceiling with a slightly moronic grin.

“Why are you on the floor?” Kei asked, frowning, and set down his bag next to the couch.

“Kuroo wrote me a song and he'll come here once break starts and we'll go on a date,” Yamaguchi said, voice an octave higher than normal.

“Okay. I told you so.”

Yamaguchi flashed Kei a short grin before turning his head back towards the ceiling, eyes glazed over, probably daydreaming about the upcoming date with Kuroo.

“Well, I'd leave you to your daydreaming, but I think you have a painting to finish,” Kei reminded him, making Yamaguchi jump.

“Oh fuck!”

Kei watched him as he scrambled to get up and frantically gathered up all the stuff he would need at the studio.

_ Well, maybe he'll finally stop whining about how Kuroo would never want to date a man _ , he thought. _ I'm gonna fight him, though, if he hurts Yamaguchi. _

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I have no idea how coherent this is, but I finally managed to finish this chapter today and I'm gonna post it, because my schedule is about to get really fucking busy and I don't want to leave you guys hanging too long. I hope you'll enjoy this anyway :D

When Nekoma were offered a contract with a record label, Kuroo refused to accept the offer if Kenma couldn't be their manager. It was beneficial for both the band and Kenma, who at the time had been looking for a job anyway. He had to earn the money he needed for his marketing degree somehow, and his position as manager made it possible to immediately apply the things he learnt at uni in reality. In exchange Kuroo and the others could work with someone they knew and trusted. Although the people at the record label had had their doubts at first, they were now thoroughly convinced of Kenma's abilities, and it was an arrangement everyone was happy with. Most of the time.

“You are aware that this is going to be a PR nightmare if people find out?” Kenma asked exasperatedly after being informed that his best friend had decided to go on a trip to visit that guy he'd been flirting with for months.

Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Of course. But I know better than to make out with him in public.”

“Are you sure?” Kenma still remembered Kuroo's previous relationships. “I've seen the way you act when you date girls. Do you really think you'd be able to restrain yourself just because Yamaguchi is a guy?”

“I highly doubt that Yamaguchi would appreciate it if I outed him along with myself, so yeah, I'm gonna keep my hands off of him as long as we're in public,” Kuroo assured.

Sighing, Kenma turned to his laptop. As Kuroo's friend he didn't freaking care whether he was out or not, Kuroo was a grown adult after all and could decide these things for himself, but as his manager, a coming-out would just give Kenma tonnes of work. And if possible he'd love to avoid unnecessary work. “Okay. I'm gonna book your train tickets. Will you need a hotel?” 

“Well, Yamaguchi has a flatmate...”

“I'm gonna get you a room, but try to be discrete. Please.”

 

***

 

Tetsurō had given up on disguising himself when he went out in public a long time ago. With his height he stood out in the crowd anyway, so why even bother trying to hide? It only made him look ridiculous. This occasionally meant that he'd be recognised, especially by university and high school students, the main demographic Nekoma's music seemed to appeal to. Sometimes these people would walk up to him and maybe ask for a photo or an autograph, but in general, people left him alone. He was famous enough to turn heads, but he wasn't _ that _ famous, and luckily he didn't cause a commotion upon his arrival in Yamagata.

Stepping through the ticket barrier at the station, Tetsurō immediately noticed Yamaguchi waiting for him, a sight that made the butterflies in his stomach go wild. When Yamaguchi looked up and noticed Tetsurō walking towards him, he smiled that adorable shy smile of his. 

_ I'm done for _ , Tetsurō thought, returning the smile.

“Hey, how was the train ride?” Yamaguchi asked.

Tetsurō shrugged. “Nothing special. How have you been?”

“Fine. I'm still a little stressed out because I had trouble finishing my painting on time, but it came out well enough,” Yamaguchi said.

“Will you show me?” Tetsurō asked, honestly curious to see the end result of all the progress photos he'd received.

“Erm, maybe you should check in at your hotel first,” Yamaguchi suggested, shyly brushing a strand of hair out of his face. “You don't want to walk around with that suitcase all day, right?”

“Heh, I guess you're right.”

 

***

 

To be perfectly honest, Tadashi would've expected Kuroo to stay at some luxurious hotel, a place he himself would've never been able to afford. Instead, Kuroo led the way towards a hotel that was relatively close to Yamagata's main train station and inexpensive compared to the ones around it.

“This is not what I expected,” he admitted as they walked towards the reception desk.

“What _did_ you expect? A five-star hotel? We do make quite a bit of money, but who knows how long that will last,” Kuroo explained with a lopsided grin. “Fame is fleeting and I don't plan on getting used to it.”

_ Oh my god, I'm such an idiot. _ Tadashi wanted to apologise, but Kuroo had already turned to the receptionist. Tadashi barely paid attention to the conversation, contemplating the fact that even after having known Kuroo for months, he actually knew very little about him. He'd been aware that Kuroo was actually kinda down to earth, even if he put on airs for the TV interviews and magazine photo shoots, but Yamaguchi was still putting him on a pedestal. _ He's just another human being _ , Tadashi reminded himself when he noticed the annoyed look on Kuroo's face.

“What do you mean you double booked the room?” he asked.

“I'm very sorry! There seems to have been a bug with our software and, erm... Well, the other person that reserved the room already checked in...” The receptionist seemed to shrink in on herself. “Erm... I'll... Give me a second, Sir, and I'll check if we have any other rooms available.” Frantically she began typing on her computer, beads of sweat forming at her temple.

Kuroo sighed. “Well, it's not your fault if the software is faulty,” he tried to calm her down, but the young woman hardly seemed to notice.

“I... Erm, well... It... it seems like there are no free rooms,” she said and the tone of her voice really pulled at Tadashi's heart strings. “I... well, erm, we'll obviously give you a full refund, and... I could try finding a room at another hotel. We'd obviously take over the costs and... erm... if that is what you want, of course...”

In retrospect, Tadashi had no idea where he found the courage to do so – maybe it was the pity he felt for that receptionist, maybe it was the fact that he'd probably never have a chance like this again – but he actually had the nerve to say, “Or you could just stay at my place.”

The receptionist looked at Tadashi like he'd just saved her life, or at the very least her job. Meanwhile, Kuroo's eyes seemed to look right through Tadashi, like he knew exactly how big of a crush Tadashi had on him.

“Y-you can have my bed, I – I'll sleep on the couch,” Tadashi mumbled, averting his eyes.

“Well, it seems like my problem is solved then,” Kuroo said, flashing his catlike grin at Tadashi before turning back to the receptionist and settling the details of the refund.

It was only when they were on the bus to the part of town where Tadashi lived, that the realisation hit him. _ Holy fuck, Kuroo will be sleeping in my bed for two nights _ .

 

***

 

What had Kei done wrong to deserve any of this?

“Something went wrong with the hotel reservation, so he will be staying here instead,” Yamaguchi explained. “You don't mind, right?”

“It's fine, I'll be going to see Akiteru-nii tomorrow anyway.” _And maybe I'll just stay with him._

“I didn't mean to chase you out of your own flat, Tsukki,” Kuroo said, but the words rang hollow, considering how he barely even spared a glance at Kei and instead, grinned at Yamaguchi, who had been blushing perpetually ever since he'd entered the flat. And then there was the fact that Kuroo had immediately decided that it was okay for him to call Kei “Tsukki”. If Yamaguchi wasn't so stupidly in love with this guy, Kei would've thrown him out of the flat immediately.

“Well, I'll be in my room then,” Kei said, giving Kuroo one last frown.

“We'll be off again in a couple minutes anyway,” Yamaguchi assured him. “We just came by to drop off the luggage...”

 

***

 

Tadashi had planned out their day in way too much detail. He wanted to show Kuroo so many things and nice places that regular tourists would only ever stumble upon on accident, the kind of places that only someone who'd lived here for a while would know of. But since their starting point wasn't the hotel anymore, his plans didn't quite add up. He really hoped Kuroo would enjoy the date anyway.

“It's cute that you put so much thought into this, but I really don't mind,” Kuroo insisted as they ate lunch at a small ramen restaurant near Tadashi's flat. “I'd say we're actually quite lucky. This way we get to spend even more time together.”

“That's true.”

There was that grin again, the one that always made Tadashi feel warm all over. He was reminded of how nervous he'd been during his first date with a girl, but with her, he'd at least been able to rely on regular dating conventions. He was the guy, so his girlfriend had expected him to pay for their food. But how did any of this work between two guys? Would they split the tab? Would they take turns paying? Tadashi had no one to ask but Kuroo, but that was kinda embarrassing, wasn't it? The guy probably expected him to know what the heck he was doing. 

“What's with the frown?”

Tadashi jumped in his seat. “It's nothing!” he replied, smiling sheepishly. “I just spaced out for a second.”

“You don't need to worry so much.” Kuroo flashed him another lopsided grin, before slurping up the last of his noodles. “Ah, that hit the spot!”

Tadashi was about to grab his wallet from his back pocket, but Kuroo shook his head at him.

“You're letting me stay at your flat, so the least I can do is pay for your food,” he insisted. Tadashi didn't have the guts to tell Kuroo that the fact that Kuroo actually wanted to spend time with him was worth the inconvenience of having to sleep on his own couch.

 

***

 

Spending time with Yamaguchi was everything Tetsurō could've wished for. It was fun, strolling through the streets of Yamagata, visiting shrines and museums, and Yamaguchi was good company. A little shy, but also enthusiastic about his interest, he tried his hardest to entertain his guest. And yet, despite all that, there was something off. Tetsurō couldn't quite put his finger on what it was until they ended up on the campus of Yamaguchi's university, so Tetsurō could finally see the end results of Yamaguchi's oil painting. 

“Do they usually put student's paintings up for exhibition in the entrance hall?” Tetsurō asked as he stood in front of a relatively familiar painting that was almost the same height as Yamaguchi himself. It was an abstract landscape, painted with bright contrasting colours that gave off a feeling of contented happiness.

“Well,” Yamaguchi blushed and sheepishly scratched the back of his head, “they only exhibit the pieces that received the best marks in their year...”

Involuntarily, Tetsurō had to laugh. “Why are you being so shy? You should be proud of yourself.”

Yamaguchi smiled weakly and shrugged. “It's the first time my painting was chosen for an exhibition...” 

“All the more reason to be proud! You've been working on this thing for months, right? I don't know a lot about oil painting, to be perfectly honest, but I liked the progress photo's you sent me. I like the colours.”

A blush was already creeping up on Yamaguchi's face, but Tetsurō wasn't done yet.

“I've been thinking... I know we've only been communicating via text and we've only actually talked face to face during that meet-and-greet, and it might seem presumptuous of me, but I'd really like to know why you think so little of yourself? You seem to think of me as some genius, just because I somehow manage to make a living making music with my friends. But you have your own talents! You're good at art. You are kind. You are one of the most handsome guys I've ever met. So why don't you act like it?”

Yamaguchi's eyes were fixed on his own painting, but they seemed unfocused. “I didn't mean... I know that you're just another human being, but... well... I've... I've been a fan of yours for years, you know? It's not that easy to turn off the admiration. And you... you are objectively more successful than I am. You got your freaking degree in biology while also being a successful musician! Meanwhile, I had to work my ass off just to be accepted at this uni...”

Tetsurō sighed. “I'm working my ass off, too! There's no such thing as inherent talent. Do you want to see my transcript of records? I barely managed to get enough credits to graduate, because I was too busy touring and working on the first studio album. If Kenma hadn't carefully planned out my schedule, I would've failed spectacularly.” Carefully, so he wouldn't startle Yamaguchi too much, Tetsurō put a hand on his shoulder. He could feel the tension in his muscles. “I like you. I honestly like you. I just want you to see your own potential.”

Yamaguchi chuckled. “I'm not sure if you are smooth or just blunt,” he said, finally turning to look at Tetsurō. “But I like that about you. It makes you seem more... real. Like you have flaws.”

Tetsurō let out a mock gasp. “You wound me! I'm the image of perfection!”

The laughter he received was music in his ears. It broke through the awkward atmosphere, making Tetsurō's heart feel lighter.

“Okay, let's try this again,” Yamaguchi said, still a little giggly, “we only have a little less than two days left together. I'm gonna try not to put myself down so much.”

“Then I'm gonna try and convince you that I'm just another human being,” Tetsurō teased.

“I know already!”

 

***

 

The atmosphere between Yamaguchi and Kuroo had changed drastically when they returned from their date. Kei didn't really want to know what had gone down between the two as long as Yamaguchi was happy. And Yamaguchi seemed plenty happy. Kei would've just left it at that and disappeared in his room, so the two lovebirds could have the living room to themselves, but somehow he got roped into watching a DVD with them instead. It was just some random action film Yamaguchi and Kei had found in the bargain bin at the corner store. Kei was sitting on the floor, refusing to share a couch with the couple (maybe he was jumping the gun, calling them a couple, but for Yamaguchi's sake he hoped that they'd be one by the end of this weekend).

“Okay, but that stunt was just plain ridiculous!” Kuroo complained, waving the arm that he hadn't put around Yamaguchi's shoulder through the air. “Surviving a jump out of a window? Okay. But that explosion? No way he could've survived that!”

“Do you really expect realism from an action flick?” Kei asked, exasperatedly.

“Not really.”

“Then shut up and enjoy the film.”

“Tsukki...” Yamaguchi said in that admonishing tone he liked to use whenever he felt that Kei was being unfair. And maybe he was, but something about Kuroo just rubbed Kei the wrong way. It was probably that arrogant grin. _Just because you're famous doesn't mean you're all that great_ , Kei thought.

 

By the time the end credits started rolling, it was already midnight. Stretching, Kei turned around to say goodnight to the two on the couch but stopped when he saw Yamaguchi curled up against Kuroo's side, sleeping soundly. 

“Should I wake him?” Kuroo whispered.

Kei shrugged. “He said himself that he'd take the couch.”

“I can't kick him out of his own bed,” Kuroo mumbled.

“He'll put up a fight, though, if you wake him up.” Kei had been Yamaguchi's best friend for long enough to know that he would never let a guest sleep on their small couch.

“Hm... Do you think you could bring us blankets? I'll just sleep here with him then.”

“The famous Kuroo Tetsurō sleeping on a ratty old couch?” Kei couldn't help the sneer.

“Oh, shut up, Four Eyes.” Kuroo rolled his eyes before softly brushing his fingers over Yamaguchi's arm and smiling. “I just don't want to wake him up. It's been a long day, and he deserves his sleep.”

There was a fondness in Kuroo's voice that Kei hadn't expected to hear. Slowly, he got up from the ground and went to Yamaguchi's room to fetch a couple of pillows and a blanket. After wishing Kuroo a good night, he went straight to his room. 

Kuroo might be an arrogant prick, but he cared about Yamaguchi, and for now, that would be enough for Kei.

 

***

 

Tadashi was completely disoriented when he woke up. His body was aching all over from having fallen asleep in an unnatural position and there was a warm, firm body pressed up against his side. Tadashi's eyes suddenly snapped open as he realised that he was sleeping on the couch next to Kuroo, covered with the blanket from his room. They probably had fallen asleep watching that film and Tsukki had brought out the blanket for them.

For a moment Tadashi couldn't decide whether he should be embarrassed or happy, but in the end, the giddy happiness won out. He'd slept all cuddled up with his crush, what more could he have asked for? 

 

The morning started out with a slow breakfast, after which Kuroo and Tadashi accompanied Tsukki to the train station. Since the weather report had promised a drop in temperature and rain in the afternoon, Tadashi suggested that they spend the day inside. On their way back to the flat they bought some pastries at a local bakery. Back home, Tadashi immediately put the kettle on, so they could curl up on the couch with some tea while they talked. 

“So, what's your favourite food?” Tadashi asked, not really sure how to start the conversation.

“Grilled mackerel,” Kuroo replied instantly. “And yours?”

“Everyone says it's disgusting, but I really like cold, soggy fries,” Tadashi admitted.

“Everyone is right. That really is disgusting.” Kuroo faked a shudder. “But well, at least I'll have someone who'll eat my fries if I don't like them.”

Tadashi chuckled.

“Okay, now it's my turn. What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you during a date?”

“Oh my god,” Tadashi groaned. “What's with that question?”

Kuroo just grinned, waiting for Tadashi's response.

“Ugh, let me think...” It had been a while since Tadashi had dated anyone. Had he really broken up with his last girlfriend before he graduated high school? “Okay. So, I was on a date with my first girlfriend. We were in the park and it was really freaking hot outside, so I went and got us some soda from a vending machine, and when I opened my bottle it just exploded all over my trousers. For the next hour or so it looked like I had pissed myself.”

“Heh, that's nothing. When I tried to kiss my second girlfriend for the first time, I didn't realise that the pavement was iced over. So when I took a step forward I slipped and headbutted her, and then we both went down, and I desperately tried to save her from falling on her ass, which led to me accidentally grabbing her ass, because I was an idiot.”

Tadashi burst out laughing. He could totally imagine something like that happening.

 

***

 

They spent a couple of hours like this, sipping tea, telling stories and laughing. Tetsurō hadn't felt this comfortable with another person that was not involved with the band in a long time. He couldn't help but fall deeper and deeper for the freckled young man who was leaning against his shoulder, just like last night. He didn't want to think about having to go back to Tokyo tomorrow. He wanted to stay longer, spend more time with Yamaguchi and learn more about him. But Tetsurō would have to learn to live with that if he really wanted to have a relationship with him. Yamaguchi still had at least two more years of university left, and during their conversation, Tetsurō found out that he planned on getting a master's degree. There was no guarantee that he would end up in grad school in Tokyo. 

As time went on, their conversation became more and more intimate. They talked about fears, hopes and dreams, about their families and closest friends.

“I've always wondered...” Yamaguchi said when their tea cups had long since been drained and put down on the table in front of the couch. “Why did you start supporting that shelter for LGBT kids? Weren't you scared that people would find out that you yourself are... you know...”

Tetsurō sighed, leaning his head back. “Well, my family and the band already knew at that point. The guys are really cool about it and my parents... I mean, I wouldn't say that they are supportive, but they don't really care all that much. My older brother already has a wife and a kid, so it's not like they need me to carry on the family name or some bullshit like that. But I have a friend. Kai. He's one of our roadies, a really cool dude. When his parents found out that he's gay they kicked him out. He was lucky we'd just signed the contract with the label, so Yaku, Lev and I had enough money to help him with the security deposit for a decent flat. And I was just... angry. So I did what I do best, wrote a song and decided to give all the profit we made off of it to charity.” He chuckled at the memory of Kenma's face when he'd come to him with that idea. “The record label hated it, but Kenma somehow managed to smooth things over and turned it into good PR for us. That's probably one of the reasons why they even let him be our manager, I think. Honestly, though, he's the brains behind all the success. Nekoma would've never made it this far without him.”

Yamaguchi stretched and rested his head on Tetsurō's shoulder.

“I'm glad,” he whispered softly. “I don't think I would've ever had the chance to meet you if you'd stayed a random guy on YouTube with a guitar.”

For a moment everything was quiet, except for the sound of the rain drumming against the window. Yamaguchi's warmth seeped right into Tetsurō's bones, giving him comfort. Carefully, he placed an arm around Yamaguchi's waist.

“I don't want to leave tomorrow.”

“You have to record that new album,” Yamaguchi reminded him, but there was no conviction in his voice.

“I'll miss you.”

“I'll miss you, too,” Yamaguchi replied. “Just remember that song you wrote. We have Skype and phones. We can make this work.”

Tetsurō hadn't realised how much the possibility that Yamaguchi might not actually want to start a long distance relationship with him had weighed on him. “So you don't want this to be a one-time thing either?” 

“I... I want to try.”

Tetsurō exhaled a shaky breath, pulling Yamaguchi closer. Their faces were only centimetres apart now so that Tetsurō could've counted every single freckle on Yamaguchi's cheeks. “Can I kiss you?”

Yamaguchi nodded and closed his eyes. Slowly, Tetsurō leant down to press a soft kiss against Yamaguchi's waiting lips. They were slightly chapped, but goodness, Yamaguchi knew what he was doing. It didn't take long for him to take control of the kiss, coaxing Tetsurō's mouth open and carefully exploring it with his tongue. It made Tetsurō forget how to breathe, so that he eventually had to break the kiss, gasping for air and staring at Yamaguchi's mouth. 

“W-was that too much?” Yamaguchi asked self-consciously.

“No. That was perfect. Again?”

Tetsurō didn't have to ask twice.

 

***

 

On Kuroo's second night in Yamagata, they slept in Tadashi's bed. They hadn't managed to go any further than making out, but the night would stay vivid in Tadashi's memory for a long time. They said their goodbyes in the flat, not wanting to risk causing a scene at the train station. If anyone had recognised Kuroo and seen them hugging and crying, the tabloids would've had material they could've used for weeks.

So instead of watching a train vanish in the distance, Tadashi stood at his window, looking down on the street that would lead Kuroo to the next bus stop. Tadashi felt a little sad that he had to let him go, but the knowledge that Kuroo liked him was comfort enough. They'd manage.

 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [tumblr](http://gilrael.tumblr.com)


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